


A Special Gift

by blindedstarlight



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Dad!Cor, Fluff, Gen, Graduation, High School, Hugs, Light Angst, Son!Prompto, Student!Prompto, papa!Cor, sfw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 22:21:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindedstarlight/pseuds/blindedstarlight
Summary: Cor's been preparing a gift for young Prompto ever since he had to give him up as a baby. Cor's never stopped thinking well of the baby he rescued from that research facility so many years ago-- at Prompto's high school graduation, Cor finally gets a chance to gift his 'would-be-son' with a memoir of Prompto's life so far in the form of a picture album.





	A Special Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Papa!Cor is precious <3 We need more fluffy Cor the Dad content!!! <333

Cor Leonis never thought himself the sentimental type. 

Not until he met Prompto Argentum when the boy was a small, sickly infant. Cor could never forget the way the chubby blond baby felt in his arms; warm and soft— smelling a little bit of baby powder and a lot of distilled chemicals that characterised his birth place.

Cor couldn’t leave him there in the Gralean research facility— so he took him and never looked back.

With Cor’s heavy duties as emerging Marshal of the Crownsguard at the time, he couldn’t possibly take Prompto in for himself. With much regret, Cor was forced to give Prompto up to the Crown’s welfare services, and an appropriate home was found for the blond infant.

The Argentums were a nice enough couple— not present enough for Cor’s tastes— but they provided Prompto with all his basic needs. They were struggling business owners, and were often out of the house for hours on end once Prompto grew old enough to fend for himself. Up until Prompto’s tenth birthday, Cor received many pictures from the Argentums through welfare services. 

Cor was no natural parent to Prompto Argentum, but that didn’t stop him from accepting the pictures and collating them into a picture album for Prompto. Perhaps in the future, when Prompto was old enough to want to know what his infancy was like, Cor could hand the Argentums the album he collated over the years.

A selfish part of Cor wanted to be the one to give Prompto the album— but the boy didn’t even know who he was…

Or, at least, Prompto didn’t know Cor personally.

Everyone knew who Cor Leonis was…

Cor wondered if Prompto called him ‘The Immortal’ like the others. The thought made Cor smile cynically; the boy probably looked onto him like he was some kind of hero. In actual fact, Cor couldn’t even give the boy a proper home. 

Another regret to add to his ever-growing list, it seemed.

“Ah, your high school graduation is tomorrow, you say?” Regis’ voice suddenly cut through Cor’s loud thoughts. Standing straighter, Cor’s gaze fell upon the sullen young prince who played with his carrots on his plate.

“Yeah,” Noctis sighed. “It’s not a big deal though. I mean, wouldn’t it be a bit of a spectacle if the King of Lucis turned up to a public school graduation?” Noctis placed his fork down and glanced at his father with a pleading expression on his youthful face.

Cor turned his gaze to Regis, and bit back a laugh as he recognised the mischievous look in the King’s eyes. 

“I will attend the occasion in disguise! Cor?” Regis suddenly addressed the Marshal. 

Cor smirked and nodded “Yes, your Majesty?”

“Lend me some civilian clothing, will you? And not your good stuff— I want the stuff you wear around the Citadel on an emergency call, understood?” Regis ordered, though there was a hint of mirth in his tone.

Noctis groaned loudly “Dad, those were Cor’s pyjamas.”

Regis frowned in thought “Cor has nice pyjamas.” Regis mused.

Noctis turned to Cor with desperation in his eyes. 

“Cor, please. Just bring him as is— as the King. I don’t want Dad to make a spectacle of himself in front of all those people—.”

Cor frowned at Noctis “You speak like I’m attending too—.”

“Of course you are!” Regis boomed joyfully. “It’s a day of celebration; why, you should probably make a speech as an inspiring hero too!”

Cor stared at Regis flatly, taking in the King’s excited by strangely regal countenance. Cor turned back to Noctis and sighed “I’ll come, and I’ll ensure King Regis is properly dressed, only if I am excused from making a speech.” He bargained.

Noctis nodded quickly. “Sure, sure! Deal. Besides, Prompto’s doing the speech tomorrow. He’s pretty nervous, but he’s also pumped. I don’t know where he gets all that energy…” Noctis trailed off, muttering to himself about arriving to school early to hand Prompto his ironed uniform for the occasion.

Cor perked up at the mention of the blond boy. As fate had it, the prince and the rescue had befriended each other at the beginning of high school— the two were inseparable ever since.

“Seems safe enough then. I’ll prepare for tomorrow.” Cor awaited Regis’ approval for dismissal before he hurried off to his quarters in search of the photo album; it would make a nice graduation gift for Prompto.

—————

The ceremony went ahead without a hitch, though there was a small fuss made early on during the day when the Principal noticed that the King was present on the school grounds. Regis, to his credit, simply beamed at everyone and greeted them amicably. Cor was extremely amused to see Noctis blushing a healthy pink at all the extra attention he was garnering due to his father’s presence.

Prompto’s speech went exceedingly well; both entertaining and insightful and all in Prompto’s own experience. Cor truly enjoyed listening to the boy talk. The pride he felt was incredibly overwhelming; like nothing he ever felt before.

“Dad! I told you not to be embarrassing— ack!” Noctis choked slightly as Regis pulled his son against his chest for a warm hug.

“Oh, calm down my boy— it is a day of celebration! Where is your friend? I wanted to ask him to take out picture…” Regis trailed off, searching the near distance for Prompto. Cor frowned and scanned the school crowd as well; Prompto nowhere in sight.

Noctis shrugged “I dunno. He’s gotta be around here somewhere…”

Suddenly, a cheery, yet puffed out male voice cut through the back ground noise. “Did I keep you guys waiting? I’m so sorry! Aaah!” Prompto apologised as he closed the distance between himself and the royal retinue of three. Huffing and puffing, Prompto raised the camera that seemed attached to him at all times, and grinned at Noctis. 

“I’m here! Uh, greetings your Majesty… Marshal.” Prompto suddenly bowed at the two older men, and Regis immediately laughed in amusement. 

“Oh please, you are a brother to Noctis. Call me Regis on this occasion.” Regis amiably instructed Prompto. 

Cor snorted in humour and brought out the album he held tightly in his hands behind his back. He cleared his throat and held it out to Prompto, who simply stared at Cor like the Marshal had just sprouted a new limb before his eyes.

“Huh?” Prompto grunted softly.

Cor nodded at his present, urging Prompto to take it. “Congratulations on your graduation son. You did good.”

There was something fulfilling about saying those very words to Prompto. Cor was happy with himself, and even happier when Prompto’s smile turned into the happiest of grins as he flipped through the album with awe clearly written in his expression. The freckled blond turned to Cor with both appreciation and adoration in his eyes.

“This… is the coolest! Thank you Marshal! I… thank you so much!”

Before Cor could even register what was happening, he found himself losing his breath as Prompto Argentum barrelled into his chest. The boy was older, taller, leaner and self-sufficient…

But Cor could still smell the baby powder. He could still smell the clinical scent of the lab. 

And Prompto was still so soft, young and fragile.

Cor sighed and found himself wrapping his arms around the son that could never be his.

“You did good, son.” Cor said again, liking the way the words sounded off his lips.

Faintly, only for Cor to hear, Prompto whispered into Cor’s chest with a teary smile on his face— safe and sound. 

“Thanks… papa.”


End file.
